Wintery Water Wonderlands
The triple threat of water, energy, and economic savings is inspiring multi-faceted water conservation programs at ski resorts.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
By Sue Marquette Poremba
Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort in Lake
Tahoe, CA, recently installed low-flow showerheads free of charge, in the 265
privately owned units that make up the resort’s lodging program. “As we replace
older fixtures, we do so with more efficient, low-flow fixtures,” says
Communications Manager Jessica VanPernis. “Additionally, all new construction
projects are done following Title 24 guidelines [of the California Code of
Regulations], which dictate the installation of low-flow products.”
According to the California Energy
Commission Web site (www.energy.ca.gov), Title 24 sets “energy
efficiency standards for residential and nonresidential buildings.” Title 24 was
first established in 1978 as a way to create a legislative response to the need
for California to reduce its energy consumption. Standards set by Title 24 are
changed on a regular basis, with newest updates set to take effect July 2009. As
a result of the new Title 24 amendments, ski resorts in the state now have legal
incentive to consider better water conservation. In fact, the resorts in the US
and Canada have already begun taking numerous steps to reduce water usage:
installing low-flow fixtures, encouraging towel reuse, switching to waterless
urinals, setting up efficient washing machines, and reducing water pressure.
And, ultimately, improving water
efficiency just makes good business practice, says Geraldine Link, director of
public policy for the National Ski Areas Association. “Water is a scarce
resource, particularly in arid parts of the country,” she says.
 |
| Photo: Johnson Controls |
| Using snow gun increases the volume of snow created from any given amount of water. |
Therefore, ski resorts are very
open to finding ways to conserve water wherever possible. “There are a huge
number of conservation measures in place at resorts with respect to snowmaking,”
says Link. “Resorts implement a number of water conservation measures to make
snowmaking highly efficient.”
Examples include:
-
Installing water coolers to
lower the ambient temperature of the water and allow less water to be used
-
The use of efficient snow guns
to increase the volume of snow produced from a given amount of water
-
Reducing the amount of water
used in freestyle terrain by using dirt, rather than snow, in the construction
of half pipes and other features
-
The installation of flow meters
on snowmaking systems to accurately measure water usage
-
Actively monitoring leaks in the
system
-
Using high-quality, reclaimed
water for snowmaking
However, adds Link, it is
important to keep in mind that water used for snowmaking is not considered a
“consumptive” use of water. “Most of the water diverted from streams for
snowmaking returns to the watershed,” she says. “Although it varies from region
to region, a number of state studies show that approximately 80% of the water
used for snowmaking returns to the watershed. Since the majority of water is
purchased by the ski area and brought onsite through diversions, snowmaking
actually benefits the watershed in which it is taking place and can help
counteract the harmful effects of global warming.”
At Solitude Mountain Resort in
Utah, Marketing Coordinator Nick Como says that using water-saving equipment in
the snowmaking process is very important. Inside the Solitude Mountain’s new
lodge, for example, automatic faucets were installed. But it’s outside where the
resort really impacts its water usage.
“The snowmaking process, from
start to finish, does everything possible to reduce water,” says Como. “The
water is stored in underground mines, which nearly eliminates water vapor loss
to the dry Wasatch air. Once the water is pumped through the system, Solitude
uses the industry’s most efficient snow gun. The results are minimal evaporative
loss and better snow.”
And, he adds, unlike snowmaking
practices at other resorts, no additives are added to the water; therefore, once
the snow melts and returns to the watershed, the water remains in pure form.
“Better water efficiency is important to our resort, because every ounce of
water saved is a potential snowflake in the making,” says Como. “Ski resorts can
never have too much snow.”
The Aspen Skiing Company in
Colorado recently switched to water efficient washing machines, replacing the
old top-load machines in the Heatherbed Lodge with Maytag front-load washing
machines. These machines don’t need to be completely filled with hot water, and
they rotate clothes through two-thirds less water. Maytag estimates that, within
one year, the new washers will pay for themselves, with savings on water, sewer,
and energy costs. At the Aspen Skiing Company, a facility with 32 occupants can
save 48,000 gallons of water annually with these new washing machines.
 |
| Photo: Keystone Resort |
| Keystone Resort has recently instituted a number of water-saving initiatives. |
“We were buying new machines about
seven years ago in an employee housing unit,” says Auden Schendler, executive
director of sustainability for Aspen Skiing Company. “We bought four Neptune
coin-operated front loaders. Then it became obvious that any time we bought new
machine, we should buy horizontal axis machines.”
Better water efficiency is
important to the resort, largely due to water availability. “We’re a
values-based business,” he says. “Our guiding principles include a mandate to be
responsible stewards of our environment.”
One of the obstacles faced in
making the switch, at least at first, was some difficulty finding the machines,
as they were relatively new, but that was easily overcome with a bit of
research. According to Schendler, the upfront cost was also higher, but that was
justified with the savings. The front-loading, horizontal-axis washer uses about
half the water of a top-loader washer because, instead of agitating clothes in a
tub, it circulates the clothes through water at the bottom of the basin. It also
uses less detergent (more savings) and spins faster, so the clothes require less
time in the dryer. Finally, the clothes last longer because they are dried less
(drying can be rough on clothing). Schendler says that Aspen Skiing Company
advertises to guests about its environmental work, but not necessarily with
specific mention of the water-saving washers.
For other resorts thinking of new
ways to save, he says it would be silly not to consider axis washers, given that
these cost about the same as standard machines and have great payback. “Or,
conversely, our competitors can choose not to use them, and we’re happy to
capture the competitive advantage of being more efficient,” adds Schendler.
He goes on to say that, along with
the new washers, a new restaurant called Sam’s Smokehouse, at Aspen’s Snowmass,
is using low-flow and waterless features highlighted by waterless urinals in the
restroom. “Those are the big savers,” says Schendler.
At Wintergreen Resort, in
Wintergreen, VA, a snowmaking arsenal has been added this year, and the resort
is combining automated fan guns into the current inventory of automated
snowmaking equipment, according to Anne Marie Jones, public relations and
communications manager. These fan guns, provided by Johnson Controls Snow, ride
on the cutting edge of design in the snowmaking industry and will push us into
the future with more snow, sooner.
“This new design uses less
electricity and is more efficient at producing large amounts of snow, reducing
our overall carbon footprint,” says Jones. “We can also run them earlier in the
year to get a jump start on ski season, so that you can enjoy winter sports even
more each year. These fan guns have the potential to increase our production,
before the winter holidays, by 44%. For those of you that love tubing, we are
using them there as well, so come and see just what our expert snowmakers can do
with more new technology tied to our already-top-of-the-line automated
snowmaking system.”
Keystone Resort, in Denver, CO,
part of Vail Resorts, has recently instituted a number of water-saving
initiatives. A new laundry facility cuts down on water use with a Continuous
Batch Washer, which uses nine-tenths of a gallon of water per pound of soiled
linen. The clean water then enters the washer through rinse cycles and is
transferred to the wash cycles. During its high season from December through
March, Keystone averages about 28,000 pounds of linen per day.
Annual
savings from the washers is 11,140,000 gallons per year.
“Changes in the Keystone Lodge
alone have resulted in water savings of an estimated 117 gallons of water per
day per room,” says Katie Adamson of Keystone Resort Communications.
In addition to the laundry
facility, Keystone Resort also added low-flow showerheads and faucets, as well
as new toilets. “Keystone Resort is entrusted with the stewardship of lands in
the beautiful Rocky Mountains,” she says. “We support, promote, and engage in
resource conservation, renewable energy use, recycling, composting, and other
forms of waste reduction. Using less of any resource to achieve the same result
makes a lot of sense, but this is particularly true with a limited resource like
water.”
When switching to the new
showerheads, the in-house maintenance staff performed the installation, and the
brass from the old showerheads was recycled. “The new fixtures either use less
water to perform the same task, like the toilets, or limit flow while not
impacting the user experience,” says Adamson.
“With limited water resources and
rising costs for energy, saving water will only become more important in the
future,” she continues. “It is now possible to reduce usage without affecting
the guest experience. And at Keystone, our guests are reassured of our
commitment to the environment.”
Sunshine Village Ski and Snowboard
Resort, in British Columbia, switched to low-flow fixtures to reduce the cost of
water treatment filtration cartridges and the amount of chlorine for
disinfection. The resort also switched to reduce the load on the watershed
treatment plant.
 |
| Photo: Johnson Controls |
| Up to 80% of the water diverted for snowmaking returns to the local watershed. |
In fact, its efforts won Sunshine
Village a Silver Eagle Award for excellence in water conservation in 2006. “Over
the years, Sunshine Resort has invested in multiple initiatives to reduce water
use,” explains Candice Fulgencio, media and marketing coordinator. “In the
spring of 2002, the resort began implementing a significantly enhanced water use
reduction strategy to maximize the efficiency of its water supply and minimize
wastewater treatment. The result has been a 29% decrease in average water use
per skier visit. On peak days, the per skier water reduction is down 38%, and
water-related operating costs have also decreased by 40%.”
The new fixtures added by Sunshine
Resort include dual-flush low-volume toilets, waterless urinals, low-volume
showerheads, and faucet aerators. Switching over to the more efficient fixtures
was easy, says Fulgencio. “It was a need, and, with proven technology, it was a
matter of installation.”
The resort also makes an effort to
let patrons know about the water conservation policies. There are signs in every
bathroom, and environmental initiatives are discussed on the resort’s Web site.
“Being eco-friendly and environmentally conscious is one of Sunshine’s top
priorities,” she says.
At Smugglers’ Notch Vermont, there
are a few reasons why water efficiency measures are important, according to
environmental compliance manager Tom McGrail. “Resource conservation is a very
important aspect of our business,” says McGrail. “Being in the winter recreation
business, water is a valuable commodity.”
Water use initiatives at
Smugglers’ resort focus on conservation and sound wastewater management, which
include the following innovations and the years each one was instituted:
-
Conducted annual water audits to
check water pressure, ensure against leaks, and assure correct functioning of
low-flow fixtures in all Resort buildings (1995)
-
Constructed a “Living Machine,”
an ecological wastewater treatment facility that processes 46% of the Resort’s
wastewater (January 2000)
-
Switched to low-flow faucets and
toilets in all facilities (all construction since 2002, older buildings
retrofitted)
-
Installed water-saving clothes
washers in new construction with annual savings of at least 85,000 gallons for a
10-unit building (2002)
“The controls needed in our water
delivery systems are already in place,” says McGrail. “Picking an efficient
model is just a matter of specifying our requirements in new construction or
renovation. We need to use aerators in faucets, so picking a low-flow type is an
easy choice. Selecting a low–water use washing machine is also just a matter of
finding the best one we can. For snowmaking, when purchasing new snow guns, we
search out manufacturers that produce water efficient models.”
McGrail adds that, in some cases,
water efficient products may cost more upfront, but will save money over time by
reducing overall energy costs. However, he says, seeing water savings can be
hard to quantify.
“We don’t have hard numbers as to
how much water we would have used with non-efficient products, so we rely on
manufacturer or industry studies,” he says. “Most of the products we purchase
will have some efficiency numbers already spelled out by the manufacturer.”
McGrail recommends getting advice
from the state water agency or EPA about doing a water audit of a resort when
deciding to move to more water efficient facility. “Some public water systems
might even pay for upgrades; after all, the less water a resort uses, the less
water the system has to supply,” he states.
Smugglers’ Notch likes to share
its environmentally friendly initiatives with its guests; improved water
efficiency is one of them. “We believe people will make a vacation decision
based on these factors,” adds McGrail.
Far and away, the most compelling
statistic to demonstrate Kirkwood Mountain Resort’s, Kirkwood, CA, commitment to
reducing water consumption is the resort’s overall water consumption totals.
Over the last two years, the resort lowered its water consumption totals from 7
million gallons in 2005 to 5 million gallons in 2007. This means that, thanks to
a concerted effort between management, employees, and guests, Kirkwood Mountain
was able to reduce its overall water consumption by over 28%.
Kirkwood retrofitted over 67% of
public restroom facilities with low-flow toilets and emphasis remains on
eventually converting all restroom fixtures with low-flow applications. One
hundred percent of the on-mountain restrooms and restrooms located in temporary
structures have been retrofitted with low-flow toilets and sensor faucets. And
all restaurant locations now run on Apex Dish Machines, which will reduce water
consumption by 7,300 gallons and use 2,100 less kilowatt-hours.
Kirkwood’s lodging department
promotes a linen reuse program encouraging guests to maximize washcloth, towel,
and linen use, which amounts to a savings of 2,500 gallons of water
annually.
Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation
Area, in Boise County, ID, switched to low-flow fixtures and auto-flush toilets
years ago as an economical measure, according to Steve Shake, vice president of
operations. “Low flows for conservation, and auto flush because the public
doesn’t flush on a regular basis,” he says.
The auto sensors in the recreation
area’s restrooms regulate the amount of time the water is running. Waterless
urinals are also used. “We had no physical obstacles in the switch to waterless
toilets,” says Shake, “but there was some resistance from the local plumbers,
because it reduces their participation.”
Conventional urinals, he explains,
will use 15 gallons a day, and that saves the ski area about 400,000 gallons of
water a season. According to Shake, “That’s enough water to sustain a 125-unit
condo development during our operating season.”
While waterless urinals are
becoming more popular, Shake advises checking with the local health department
and building department to make sure the urinals are approved for use. “The
waterless urinals are very good and easy to maintain,” he says. “Just be sure to
follow the correct cleaning procedures.”
Finally, the resort community of
Big Bear Lake, CA, took a slightly different approach to its water efficiency
efforts. Working closely with the city’s Department of Water and Power (DWP) and
HydroPoint—a water conservation technology company— the resorts are able to
conserve water in a most efficient manner.
According to William S. La Haye,
interim general manager and water resource manager of Big Bear Lake DWP,
managing water demand or consumption through the promotion of water efficient
programs and conservation is a key approach to managing the overall water supply
and meeting future water needs.
“Over the last few years, the DWP
has put a number of conservation measures and incentives in place to achieve
water savings,” says La Haye. “These include outdoor watering schedules,
limitations on a new outdoor turf and turf removal program, submission and
approval of landscape plans for new landscaping in excess of 1,000 square feet,
the retrofit on the Change in Service Program [upon change in service, the owner
has 90 days to certify that the bathroom and kitchen fixtures are low-flow,
low-flush], and the Water Demand Offset program.”
Working with HydroPoint, the DWP
uses WeatherTRAK controllers to help monitor and better utilize water use in the
community and the resort area. A move to low-flow showerheads, faucets, and
toilets also help the resort conserve water.
Why work so hard to conserve
water? “There is no outside water source available to augment the local supply,”
explains La Haye. The area has also had lower-than-average rainfall for a number
of years recently, making it even more vital for the area to do all it can to
conserve water.
For any ski resort that hasn’t
begun to make the switch to more water efficient practices, La Haye has very
simple advice: “Get started now.”
Author's Bio: Sue Marquette Poremba is a writer based in Pennsylvania. |
Advertisement]